Grayslake Central’s out for sustained success

History could be made at Grayslake Central if the Rams come up with a playoff appearance at the end of the season.

After back-to-back trips to the playoffs in 2010 and 2011, Grayslake Central is seeking the elusive three-peat. Interestingly, there have been four playoff berths in school history and the other two also happened in back-to-back years (1989 and 1990).

“The kids really want to get back to the playoffs,” head coach Ben Ault said. “Three in a row has never happened at Grayslake Central before.”

A lack of consistency in the playoffs could be tied back to a relative lack of consistency at the top of the coaching staff at Grayslake Central. And Ault is looking to change that.

He took over in the spring for Nick Goshe, who ended his tenure after five years to take an assistant coaching position at Fremd. Including Goshe, there have been five coaches at Grayslake Central since 1989 and only one stayed longer. Dan Dillon’s run lasted seven years from 1994 to 2000. On the other end of the spectrum, Mike Munda stayed for only two seasons (2005, 2006).

What should ease the transition this time around is that Grayslake Central promoted from within. Ault is entering his ninth season on the coaching staff at the school. Early on in his career, he was the defensive coordinator. Over the last five years, he’s been the offensive coordinator.

“The transition has been pretty good for everyone,” Ault said. “I know the community. I know the school, I know the kids. That’s made it so much easier, for me…and the kids.

“Also, the rest of our staff has pretty much stayed the same. I’m a new coach, but I’m not new to the program and you’re glad to have some consistency like that.”

Personnel-wise, the Rams will have a few familiar faces back in the starting lineup, but not many. Only five of 22 starters return: two on offense and three on defense.

“We don’t have a lot of returning starters, but we do have quite a few kids who got on the field a little bit for us last year,” Ault said. “They’ve been waiting for their chance.”

Grayslake Central had a talented senior class last season, led by running back Joey Valdivia and quarterback Ray Beckman. Valdivia, who went on to Lake Forest College, graduated with pretty much every rushing record in school history while Beckman, now at Wisconsin-Whitewater, left his mark on the passing side.

“When you have kids like Joey and Ray, that’s special, and it’s not like you can go out and get new kids like them just anywhere,” Ault said. “The thought is you go out and balance that with a lot of different kids.

“We’ve set it up this year that we can spread out the load and make use of the talents of multiple kids.”

The Rams will be running an option offense this year that spreads the carries between newcomers Connor Daly, Ted McGraw and Jourden Swopes, among others. They’ll run behind an offensive line that boasts some size in Cameron Hosimer and Luke Stancil, both of whom are 6-foot-3, 270 pounds and are the two returning starters on offense.

During preseason practices, Ault has been trying to decide between two quarterbacks for his starter: Tyler Gustke and Alex Lennartz.

Defensively, Hosimer and Stancil will start again on the line. The Rams’ other returning starter is Davonta Jennings, a speedy cornerback who will get some help from newcomer Malcolm Reed.

GRAYSLAKE CENTRAL

HEAD COACH: Ben Ault (first season)

LAST SEASON: 7-3, 5-1 in Fox Valley Fox Division, lost to Tinley Park in first round of Class 5A state playoffs

HOMECOMING: Friday, Sept. 21 vs. Johnsburg, 7:15 p.m.